Fake murder call triggers major police response in Germany swatting case
Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
Newswire
Official statement
Under investigation
- Police in Hagen deployed numerous officers after a caller falsely claimed someone had been killed and threatened to shoot approaching police.
- Investigators determined that no crime had occurred and identified a teenager from the Ennepe-Ruhr district as a suspect in the alleged swatting incident.
- The suspect faces criminal investigations and could be billed up to €50,000 to €100,000 for the police operation.
A false report of murder and a threat to shoot police sent numerous officers to a home in Hagen on Sunday evening. Police later determined that no crime had taken place and classified the incident as swatting.
The caller allegedly used the personal details of an uninvolved resident and manipulated the telephone number displayed to police. The tactic is designed to provoke a large emergency response at the home of an unsuspecting person by describing an apparently immediate and serious threat.
He must expect serious consequences.
Police identified a teenager from the Ennepe-Ruhr district as a suspect. Authorities were already investigating the teenager over similar incidents, which allegedly triggered major police operations in the teenager’s home district and beyond. After the Hagen case, police searched the suspect’s home to secure evidence.
A police spokesman said the teenager faced serious consequences. Criminal investigations include allegations of threatening and falsely reporting a crime. Police may also seek reimbursement for the operation, with fees potentially reaching €50,000 to €100,000 depending on its size.
Depending on the size of the operation, fees of €50,000 to €100,000 can be charged.
About this summary
Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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